LET US GET YOU OUT OF TOWN
TO A NEW DESTINATION
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Affordable
luxury destination in Brazil new to
Canadians- Florianópolis is a southern
island located in Brazil’s Santa
Catarina province. ‘Floripa’, as the
Brazilians call it, may be unfamiliar to
Canadians, but is rapidly becoming a hot
spot for holidaymakers. |
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An
extremely safe destination, which offers
the wonders of nature, excellent
hospitality and affordable five-star
hotels, Florianópolis is the ideal place
for travellers looking for something
different in their next luxury vacation.
‘La Ilha da Magia’ – the Island of Magic
– was named one of the top 10 hottest
global cities by Newsweek magazine,
houses half a million inhabitants and
has one of the highest standards of
living in Brazil.
Combine
the old and the new- Florianópolis is
connected to the mainland by a
suspension bridge. The north side of the
island is modern; it’s where most of the
wealthy have homes, whereas the south
side of the island is more rustic and
homey, with unique local architecture
dating back 300 years.
Add a little bit of culture to the mix
and you will find that Florianópolis has
a slightly more European flavour
compared to the rest of Brazil with
Italian and German cultural traditions,
inherited from settlers who arrived in
the 1800s. As in the rest of Brazil,
there’s also a strong
Portuguese-Brazilian tradition and
indigenous cultures on the island, in
addition to later arrivals of people
from Asia and the Middle East.
A safe
city- The urban centre is extremely
safe, and the main street, Beiramar is a
place where people can jog or walk at
any time and feel completely safe. The
locals are also incredibly warm and
welcoming to Canadians. A vibrant
tradition of celebration, music and
parties can be had at the city’s best
nightclubs.
Over 40
beaches to choose from-If you are in
search of the perfect beach
Florianópolis has over 40 beaches to
pick from, each with their own
personality and even clientele. You can
visit a beach where there isn’t a soul
there, or you can visit one that is
packed with people, all within a short
distance of each other.
Forty-five per cent of the island has
been designated a permanent ecological
reserve, excellent for those who want to
experience ecotourism. Rainforest,
hillsides, mangrove swamps, lagoons,
waterfalls and deep valleys offer a wide
range of terrain for exploring.
‘Floripa’ lies on the migratory path of
the Southern Right Whale, providing
whale-watching opportunities. |
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INN THE NEWS
Best US hotel found in Chicago-
The Ritz-Carlton Chicago a Four
Seasons has won the top spot by
Conde Nast Traveler for the
seventh time in a row. It has
won more than any other hotel in
the country.
The hotel maintains a 1.5
employee-to-guest ratio,
totaling over 600
employees making it their
business to keep the hotel in
top form.
Over 20% percent of the hotel's
staff has worked at the hotel
for over 20
years. |
TOUCHSTONE TRAVEL NEWS
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BE AWARE AND DECLARE
- It's not worth the risk-Foreign food; plants,
animals and related products can be a serious
threat to Canada's health and environment.
Before you travel, be aware of our import laws.
When entering Canada, always declare these
items. Keep our country safe from diseases like
Avian Influenza, viruses and microorganisms, and
pests.
Feeling a
little cramped? Passengers are so jammed in on
some UK carriers that they couldn't assume the
crash position if their lives depended on it.
The minimum seat pitch requirement in the UK is
26" despite research suggesting 28.2 inches as a
safer minimum. Charter carriers MyTravel and
Monarch, and sked flyer BMIBaby would be among
those affected by a possible legislative change.
New security
measures - A man nearly died from alcohol
poisoning after knocking back two pints of vodka
at an airport security check instead of handing
it over to comply with new rules about carrying
liquids aboard a plane, police said Wednesday.
The incident occurred Tuesday at the Nuremberg
airport, where the 64-year-old man was switching
planes on his way home to Dresden from a
vacation in Egypt.
Is visiting your family really a holiday? A
holiday travel survey of more than 1,500
travellers worldwide showed that while 77% of
travellers visit family and relatives for the
holiday, 18% of travellers said they would
rather "escape" family and relatives this
holiday season. The survey also revealed that
75% said they would prefer to stay at a hotel,
rather than the homes of their relatives for the
holidays. 39% of travellers said their ideal
escape is a tropical beach getaway in the
Caribbean. |
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SAIL AWAY
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More and more, we're finding
that grandparents, parents,
and children are cruising
together. Book a family
reunion cruise, be sure to
take a good look at Holland
America's 2008 Family
Reunion GAP package.
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You'll find a number of
advantages for family groups
of eight or more staterooms,
including: Head of the
Family Reward: Complimentary
upgrade from Outside to
Verandah. |
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PLANE TALK
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VIRGIN PLANS FIRST FLIGHT
USING BIOFUEL- Virgin
Atlantic says it plans to
fly one of its Boeing 747s
on biofuel during a
demonstration flight between
London and Amsterdam next
month. Virgin Atlantic
chairman Richard Branson
says the test flight, which
he calls the first of its
kind, will yield crucial
information on how to reduce
aviation's carbon footprint.
The Canadian Transportation
Agency has ordered Air
Canada, Air Canada Jazz and
WestJet to adopt a
one-person-one-fare policy
for persons with severe
disabilities who travel
within Canada by air.
The airlines have one year
to implement the policy. The
tribunal's decision means
that for domestic services,
Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz
and WestJet may not charge
more than one fare for
persons with disabilities
who are accompanied by an
attendant for their personal
care or safety in flight, as
required by the carriers'
domestic tariffs, or require
additional seating for
themselves, including those
determined to be
functionally disabled by
obesity for purposes of air
travel.
Air China and Shanghai
Airlines formally joined
Star Alliance yesterday at a
ceremony held in the new
Terminal Three at Beijing
Capital International
Airport. With the addition
of the two Chinese airlines,
Star Alliance now has 19
member carriers, including
Air Canada, operating 17,000
daily flights to 897
destinations in 160
countries, offering
international travellers
more choice than any other
airline alliance. |
*Some restrictions may apply.
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